Pages

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Kenpo as an Augmentation For Fitness-Introducing Kimono Grab

Kenpo is a sport that focuses on self-defense and is a great
activity to augment a fitness program. It provides coordination, strength,
flexibility, and self-defense. You may notice that all movements start with
someone attacking while providing defensive positions. Few are
designed as an attack. The very nature of the sport is self-defense and an expressive art
form of human body movement. Kenpo practice
helps create coordination of movement that balances growth in muscle and
strength.

In Kimono Grab there are the traditional moves and the
modified moves. Most people who engage in the sport focus only on the
traditional moves. The traditional method is taught in most
classes and strictly follow the founder’s approaches. The modified versions have great
benefit for learning how to change sequences based on the events that are occurring
in the engagement.

For example, if an opponent attacks you and you are able to
initiate the first movement in the sequence but fail to make the second one you are unlikely to adjust fast enough to keep momentum.
Learning other methods and movements allows for quick adjustments to missed
attempts to keep the fluidity of motion into more successful sequences.

Kimono Grab is designed to protect you when someone uses their
arms and their body weight to gain control. Instead of fighting the momentum
stepping backwards allows the opportunity to use that momentum to your
advantage. It also has a secondary benefit of putting your opponent off balance
which allows a regaining of control. One-on-one sports thrive off of maintaining
leading momentum.

Traditional Kimono Grab
(Opponent Grabs Both Lapels):

-Step
back with left foot.

-Reach
over right arm to grab left wrist.

-Use
right forearm to hit upward against elbows.

-Swing
over the top of arms with right forearm and hit both arms to break the hold.

-Use
the right hand to chop the neck (Can be modified with left hand).-Right elbow to temple.

-Twist
to left and deliver hammerfist to groin.

-Use
back kick to sternum to create distance between you and the opponent.

Modified Kimono Grab A
(Opponent Grabs Both Lapels):

-In
single motion pin opponents right wrist with your left hand as you step back
with your left foot and use an extended outward block to release opponent’s
left hand from the lapel.